Pistols are firearms that do not have a shoulder stock and are designed to be operated with one hand (18 U.S.C., §921(A)(29) and 27 CFR §478.11). Since the National Firearms Act (NFA) was passed in 1934, ownership of rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches (“short barreled rifle”), or smoothbore firearms with barrels shorter than 18 inches (“short barreled shotgun”), has necessitated extensive paperwork, a long processing period, and a $200 tax. Crossing state lines with a firearm subject to the NFA also requires paperwork and a notification to the federal government in advance of the trip. Pistols based on rifles such as the AR-15 (“AR-15 Pistol”) provide some of the advantages of short barreled rifles but are not subject to NFA restrictions. The disadvantage of such pistols compared to a short barreled rifle is the absence of a shoulder stock to provide stability. Such pistols tend to be relatively large and heavy, they can be difficult to shoot accurately and can quickly tire the user.
One prior art approach to addressing the difficulty of stabilizing pistols is the SB15 Pistol Stabilizing Brace manufactured by Sig Sauer, Inc. of Newington, N.H. The brace uses the operator's forearm to provide stable support via a flexible cuff with two adjustable nylon straps. One disadvantage is the inconvenience of having to strap the flexible cuff onto the user's forearm prior to being able to shoot the firearm, and having to unstrap the flexible cuff from the user's forearm prior to being able to put down the firearm. Second, proper eye relief for use with optics or iron sights may be extremely difficult or impossible. Third, the resemblance of the brace to a conventional shoulder stock creates the temptation for users to use the brace to stabilize the pistol against the user's shoulder. The Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued an open letter on Jan. 16, 2015 stating that using the brace as a shoulder stock constitutes a “redesign” of the device, and would therefore subject the user to the requirements of the NFA. Therefore, using the brace to stabilize the pistol against the user's shoulder is illegal.
A subsequent prior art approach that also addresses the difficulty of stabilizing pistols is the SBX Pistol Stabilizing Brace manufactured by Sig Sauer, Inc. of Newington, N.H. While this brace has a reduced resemblance to a conventional shoulder stock relative to the SB15 brace, the SBX brace continues to have the inconvenience of having to strap the flexible cuff onto the user's forearm prior to being able to shoot the firearm, and having to unstrapped the flexible cuff from the user's forearm prior to being able to put down the firearm.
Another prior art approach is the Shockwave Blade Pistol Stabilizer manufactured by Shockwave Technologies of Salt Lake City, Utah. Instead of a cuff that slips over the user's forearm, the Shockwave Blade uses a vertical blade, and the user straps their forearm against the side of the vertical blade. The Shockwave Blade has the same drawbacks as the Sig Sauer braces in that, although it may be somewhat easier to put on than the Sig Sauer braces as it does not require the cuff around the user's forearm, it still requires straps.
Another prior art approach is the FAB Defense KPOS G2 LB-200 manufactured by FAB Ltd. of Israel, which appears to transfer recoil forces to additional muscle groups, but otherwise does little to stabilize the attached pistol.
None of the prior art devices described above allow for proper eye relief for use with optics or iron sights, which compromises the accuracy achievable with the attached firearm. They also require the firearm to be held out at arm's length, which lengthens the moment arm the weight of the firearm exerts against. This makes the firearm seem heavier and causes more rapid onset of fatigue.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved firearm support brace that enables the user to readily pick up and put down an attached firearm. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the firearm support brace according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of stabilizing a firearm while enabling the user to readily pick up and put down an attached firearm.